About 284,000 Build-A-Bear Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears have been recalled in the United States; another 13,200 have been recalled in Canada.

The defective Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears were manufactured in China by the Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc., of St. Louis, Missouri and sold at Build-A-Bear Workshops nationwide and online at www.buildabear.com from April 2011 through December 2011 for about $18 in the U.S. and $23 in Canada.

The Build-A-Bear Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears eyes can loosen and fall out, posing a choking hazard to children. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported. The recalled Build-A-Bear Colorful Hearts Teddy Bear is a stuffed animal about 16 inches high with black plastic eyes. The bear’s fabric covering is printed with multi-colored heart shapes.

The firm advises consumers to immediately take the recalled Colorful Hearts Teddy Bear away from children and return it to any Build-A-Bear store to receive a coupon for any available stuffed animal from Build-A-Bear. Build-A-Bear can be reached, toll-free, at 1.866.236.5683, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Central Time (CT), Monday through Friday; Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., CT; and Sunday between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., CT. The firm can also be reached at its website at www.buildabear.com or by email at colorfulhearts@buildabear.com.

Just prior, the CPSC, announced that Build-A-Bear Workshop, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $600,000 as part of a settlement agreement that was provisionally accepted by the Commission and resolves CPSC staff allegations that Build-A-Bear failed to immediately report a defect involving its Toy Bear Beach Chair. The defect involved sharp edges of the chair’s folding wooden frame pinching, lacerating, or amputating a child’s fingertip if the finger became caught between the frame as the chair was folded.

Build-A-Bear sold the beach chairs through its website and at Build-A-Bear stores between March 2001 and October 2008. The company became aware of 10 reports of injury between July 2007 and January 2009, yet did not report to the Commission until March 2009. CPSC and Build-A-Bear announced a recall of about of about 260,000 beach chairs in May 2009.

We also previously wrote that Build-A-Bear Workshop recalled its Love.Hugs.Peace Lapel Pins over lead contamination concerns, according to the CPSC and HC. About 26,500 pins were recalled in the United States; 2,200 more were recalled in Canada because surface paints on the Build-A-Bear Workshop Love.Hugs.Peace Lapel Pins contained excessive levels of lead which is prohibited under federal law.

A toxic heavy metal, lead can accumulate in the body over time. Lead exposure in children and unborn children can lead to brain and nervous system damage; slowed growth; headaches; mental and physical retardation; and behavioral, learning, hearing, and other health problems. The developing brain is of particular concern because lead exposure can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, can damage the nervous system, cause motor problems and an increase in depressive, aggressive, sleep, and maladaptive affective disorders. Issues with sexual performance, impotence, sleep patterns, and infertility might occur.